Congress should think big on global school meals

When Norway was under Nazi German occupation during World War II, Americans donated to feed the hungry victims. Milk was sent through Sweden for thousands of Norwegian school children.

It was a treasure for malnourished kids, suffering in wartime, to get milk. In Norway and many other war affected nations the United States fed millions of children through school feeding.

It’s an American tradition to provide school meals for distressed nations. That’s why it was encouraging when Democrats and Republicans recently signed a letter asking for more funding to the McGovern-Dole global school lunch program.

Named after the former senators George McGovern and Bob Dole, the program provide school meals in poor countries. It’s run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and depends on funding from Congress.

President Trump has tried to eliminate McGovern-Dole in each of his budget proposals. Congress has wisely resisted. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Steve Watkins (R-Kan.) initiated the letter which asks for increasing McGovern-Dole funds to at least 235 million annually, and hopefully higher. Previous funding levels have been closer to 200 million.

To put in perspective the border wall that President Trump is trying to build includes an $8 billion request.

There were 100 reps, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who signed the McGovern Dole letter addressed to the Agriculture Subcommittee. The letter reads “For just a few cents a day, McGovernDole has made a difference in the lives of children and communities, promoted American values in the most positive terms, and helped achieve U.S. foreign policy and national security goals.”

More support in Congress is needed to achieve the extra funding.

School meals abroad pays off for everyone. Hungry children receive food. They gain the energy to learn in school because of this nutrition. Communities and nations benefit from the stability that school feeding provides. Imagine whole generations of children well-nourished and educated. School meals play a big part in achieving this goal.

McGovern-Dole also funds preschool and infant feeding too. We could expand a lot more in this area so children of all ages can be fed.

Child hunger is a major international crisis, especially with so many conflicts and droughts ongoing. Children worldwide are at risk of hunger and dropping out of school. What future world can we expect if children are malnourished and lacking education?

School meals can give a child hope. They can give a whole family and community a helping hand to escape poverty. If farms in developing countries can provide the meals that builds local economies.

There is a lot of potential with the McGovern-Dole program as it develops and hopefully is expanded. Congress has the power to make school meals a bigger part of our foreign policy. They can increase the funding for McGovern-Dole in the next budget.

Let’s encourage Congress to do the right thing and increase funding for school meals around the world.